mental health NZ

mental health NZ

https://mentalhealth.org.nz/

“The most recent year for which we have provisional suicide data is the financial year from July 2020 – June 2021. 607 people died by suspected suicide during that year.”

New Zealand has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the OECD.

 

Risk factors include:

Having previously attempted suicide

Having experienced suicidal distress/thoughts/behaviours

Losing a loved one or peer to suicide

Age – in New Zealand, young people have the highest suicide rate

Gender – in New Zealand and around the world, men are 3-4 times more likely to die by suicide

Sexuality – there is evidence that non-heterosexual people are at higher risk of suicide

Gender identity – there is evidence that people who do not identify with the gender they are assigned at birth are at a higher risk of suicide

Ethnicity – in New Zealand, Māori are more likely to die by suicide than non-Māori

Family and childhood experiences, including experiencing poverty, deprivation, physical and/or sexual abuse, alcohol abuse, the loss of significant family members

Experience of mental illness (including depression, anxiety)

Substance abuse

Feeling hopeless

Being exposed to media reporting/depictions/portrayal of suicide

Relationship breakdowns

Losing status/influence

Loneliness

Unemployment

 

we need to tackle big issues like how we support people bereaved by suicide, racism, the legacy of colonisation, poor housing, homophobia, discrimination, barriers to education and social barriers that prevent people from feeling comfortable or safe asking for help.

 

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